Henry David Thoreau once said: “It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” For Manitoba, a seemingly small footprint province in comparison to the likes of Ontario and British Columbia, its communities see the impact they could have across Canada and globally. They have a lot to say and contribute.
Martin Itzkow, founding CEO from CMCCF was the only presenter chosen from North America (the Global North) to participate at the V-20 in Brazil. A summit that feeds directly into the G-20 informing world leaders on important issues that impact trade, sustainable development, health, agriculture, energy, environment, climate change, and anti-corruption among other topics.
I sat down with Martin before his trip and learned about how he was invited to participate. It all came down to the connections and work that CMCCF has been engaged in over many years. Networking – an ostensibly mundane thing that businesses engage in; however, the everyday person does it unconsciously. It is most notably seen through word-of-mouth. For the work that CMCCF does, building connections, relationships of trust is crucial in building peace and creating lasting impact among Manitoba’s cultural communities.
Now upon his return, Martin shared his experiences with me. His tone exuded both introspection and humility for the lessons he learned, accompanied by pride in the role that Manitoba had at this conference – a local to global perspective.
What Does Local to Global Perspective Mean?
In Martin’s own words “To connect the theme of Inclusive Leadership with both local and global contexts, especially focusing on cultural communities and their engagement with diverse policymakers, one can create a multi-layered perspective. This would include examining how the principles of inclusive leadership are practiced in a specific location and then broadening that understanding to inform and inspire global practices.”
Martin’s presentation was entitled From Local to Global Perspectives: Reimagining the future of Cultural Communities as Inclusive Leaders, practicing Social Justice by Engaging in Authentic Engagement with Government and its Agencies.
Many of those in attendance solely focused on the engagement of both the Black community (57% Brazilians) and indigenous cultures. This is of course without question of paramount importance. However, the world we live in is such that diverse communities now reside and participate in local societies. The question then becomes, “How do we engage cultural community voices with other cultures to build peaceful and positively impactful societies?”
If you have the chance to read or watch Martin’s presentation, I highly recommend it. It is both thought-provoking and inspiring.
Lessons from V-20 Rio, Brazil
In the words of Bertrand Russell, “The world is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper.” The lessons from V-20 Brazil are an opportunity for amazing things to happen out of Manitoba.
Three main lessons were reflected clearly:
- The need to continue engaging government in community based social justice and inclusive leadership frameworks rooted in leading by example is crucial for healing and progress in our communities. It is imperative that those with influence have a moral obligation to lead through a modeling lens. CMCCF with its partners have been engaged in this area for many years and see the need to build a larger network of shared voices (intergenerational and Intercultural).
- Based on conversations and insights Martin had with other participants, “Those who have risen above experiences of marginalization – racism, discrimination and lack of power – carry a unique responsibility. They must actively demonstrate a commitment to uplift others who remain unheard and unseen. This is not just about policy — it’s about fostering trust, equity, connection, and belonging. By using their platform to strengthen and amplify the voices of other marginalized groups, they not only pave the way for systemic change but also affirm that true leadership lies in ensuring no one is left behind. A just and inclusive society depends on this shared commitment.”
- All groups need to be included in the voices and processes in determining our community’s vision. Regardless of the size of marginalized groups in the community, having them heard and included leads to more cohesive contributions toward peace building, economic progress, and sustainability, among others.
Highlights from Martin’s Time in Rio, Brazil:
When asked about his top three highlights, Martin didn’t hesitate. His list included the Culture of Rio, Brazil and its people; the unique local to global perspective he was able to bring from Manitoba and the connections he was able to make.
Martin felt that the people from the conference were all amazing and that Brazilians are very caring people and have lots of life in them. They reminded him of Winnipeg with the diversity and zeal for life that Manitobans have. Although not a fan of heights, Martin hiked up into the clouds to the statue of Christ the Redeemer twice and acquired more knowledge on its history and the social, economic, and political atmosphere that surrounds it today.
Immediately upon arrival in Brazil, Martin’s first conversation which was translated between Portuguese and English using technology, was with his taxi driver. Their conversation was centered on the driver’s experiences of racism as a black driver and how the government of Brazil has spent lots of energy and focus on the indigenous Amazon tribes and the black community – both very large, marginalized populations of Brazil. It led to discussions about the favela movement which is composed of local groups that are addressing racism, and the needs of impoverished communities and has been given power by the national government to engage with the community and help the voices of marginalized people to be heard, respected and experience a different process of meaningful engagement.
Throughout the conference, Martin spoke with people regarding local to global perspectives. He quickly realized that the voice of the smaller communities – immigrants that are coming to Brazil and building their lives there is missing. Larger communities are now being heard, which is good, but the smaller communities are missing and can contribute to a better society especially where these smaller communities have a vision for their life.
His panel was on inclusive leadership and authentic engagement included an Indigenous woman who is a leader from her Amazon Tribe. She shared very similar challenges and situations to Manitoba including missing and murdered indigenous family and community. Hearing her stories and seeing that the challenges Manitoba faces are unfortunately not unique reinforced the work that still needs to be done globally, but that it must start locally.
For Martin, conversations and networking were very important to the impact that Manitoba can make on a global level. Some of this impact came in the form of interest in engaging in knowledge exchanges, in some of the work happening on the ground and exploring the local to global perspective – the way things are being done here in Winnipeg. Other people, including researchers, are interested in CMCCF’s work, especially exploring how different communities around the world connect with marginalized groups in their communities. Each community will approach this work differently to suit their needs.
Moreover, friendships have been built with people from all over the world to places like South Africa, Brazil, UK, India, etc.
Final Thoughts from V-20 Brazil:
As we wound down our conversation, one thing that Martin stressed in moving forward is the importance of shared vision work between cultural communities and how they can be included in peace building frameworks in our communities. In addition, the focus on cultural community vision and its outcomes are key tools that can be used to engage with government.
CMCCF, in partnership with three other cultural umbrella organizations, has already begun leveraging this tool to engage effectively with the provincial government. By uniting their voices, they are creating a powerful platform that represents the aspirations, values, and priorities of Manitoba’s diverse communities. This collective effort not only fosters hope for meaningful change but also ensures that every community’s voice is acknowledged and valued. Through this unified approach, systemic challenges can be addressed holistically, paving the way for stronger, more inclusive, and resilient communities across the province.
Lastly, and importantly, work is being done to bring together Indigenous and cultural communities with the common ground being work in peacebuilding. This work is very intentional and CMCCF is excited for the collaborations, healing work and vibrant society that Manitoba can become.
This article was written by community writer Tsungai Muvingi as part of our – Community Writers Project. All thoughts and opinions expressed are Tsungai’s own. You can learn more about Tsungai on our team page here.
To learn more about our Building Bridge project, you can click: Here
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